Mayo League Football 2007

[Mad Moose]

Zenga? More like The Refridgerator

Classic

[the grape vine]

Classic

ya,top drawer !!!!

[swinfordfc]

He is a good keeper but problem is that when the keeper makes a mistake he doesnt get away with it, rest of us can fubar and someone else clean up the mistakes!!

ok point taken - and he's ok keeper but needs to be stronger coming for crosses - he's a big man!

[irishyop]

no point taken - and he's ok keeper but needs to be stronger coming for crosses - he's a big man!

big in the little sense!

[FahyForever]

Interesting to see the Mayo News have launched their new column on football in Mayo; Counter Attack! (My exclaimation mark), Presumably named after the daily evening staff rush to Toby's bar. Just kidding. It promises, optimistically I feel; "Insightful comment and analysis of the game inside and outside the county". One can only hope that it isn't of the Jim Beglin school of insightful commentary; "Young Doyle just missed with his glancing header, what he wanted to do there was hit the target".

Seriously though, it's a start, and fair to them for that. I know my post last week was fairly vitriolic towards the media but it's only because I am consistently maddened by the quality of the coverage of Football in comparison to Gaelic. (And because I had a particularly fierce hangover) Examples of that disparity were everywhere in this week's edition. Whilst Padraic Burns was stunning us with the almost sublime fact that the match between Ballyglass and S+F was "mainly played between the two penalty areas...", Edwin Mc Greal was writing what seemed like a modern Greek tragedy; reporting the nature of loss, the nobility of failed endevour, quoting philosophical remarks from legendary American coach Vince Lombardy and generally putting a bit of effort in. His subject? The All-Ireland College's B semi-final. Whilst not averse the the odd cliche; ('pillar to post', 'knife through the hearts' 'playing second fiddle' etc, Mc Greal can write well. But the effort is just not put into the "soccerball" coverage. And that's a bit insulting. If we are only going to be given a few pages in the paper, at least make them worth reading.

The Counter Attack column could be a step in the right direction. Generally speaking, the reports in the paper did exactly what they said on the tin. They reported. In the 5th minute X came close. In the 19th minute Y made a fine save. In the 56th minute Z scratched his arse. Ad nauseum. What they don't do is analysis. Every Mayo G.A.A match played seems to merit assessment from everyone in possession of a biro in the county. So come on then lads, live up to your promises and deliver and bit of analysis and insight. We would really appreciate it.

[swinfordfc]

Interesting to see the Mayo News have launched their new column on football in Mayo; Counter Attack! (My exclaimation mark), Presumably named after the daily evening staff rush to Toby's bar. Just kidding. It promises, optimistically I feel; "Insightful comment and analysis of the game inside and outside the county". One can only hope that it isn't of the Jim Beglin school of insightful commentary; "Young Doyle just missed with his glancing header, what he wanted to do there was hit the target".

Seriously though, it's a start, and fair to them for that. I know my post last week was fairly vitriolic towards the media but it's only because I am consistently maddened by the quality of the coverage of Football in comparison to Gaelic. (And because I had a particularly fierce hangover) Examples of that disparity were everywhere in this week's edition. Whilst Padraic Burns was stunning us with the almost sublime fact that the match between Ballyglass and S+F was "mainly played between the two penalty areas...", Edwin Mc Greal was writing what seemed like a modern Greek tragedy; reporting the nature of loss, the nobility of failed endevour, quoting philosophical remarks from legendary American coach Vince Lombardy and generally putting a bit of effort in. His subject? The All-Ireland College's B semi-final. Whilst not averse the the odd cliche; ('pillar to post', 'knife through the hearts' 'playing second fiddle' etc, Mc Greal can write well. But the effort is just not put into the "soccerball" coverage. And that's a bit insulting. If we are only going to be given a few pages in the paper, at least make them worth reading.

The Counter Attack column could be a step in the right direction. Generally speaking, the reports in the paper did exactly what they said on the tin. They reported. In the 5th minute X came close. In the 19th minute Y made a fine save. In the 56th minute Z scratched his arse. Ad nauseum. What they don't do is analysis. Every Mayo G.A.A match played seems to merit assessment from everyone in possession of a biro in the county. So come on then lads, live up to your promises and deliver and bit of analysis and insight. We would really appreciate it.

Are you sure your not a writer?

[gnasher]

Interesting to see the Mayo News have launched their new column on football in Mayo; Counter Attack! (My exclaimation mark), Presumably named after the daily evening staff rush to Toby's bar. Just kidding. It promises, optimistically I feel; "Insightful comment and analysis of the game inside and outside the county". One can only hope that it isn't of the Jim Beglin school of insightful commentary; "Young Doyle just missed with his glancing header, what he wanted to do there was hit the target".

Seriously though, it's a start, and fair to them for that. I know my post last week was fairly vitriolic towards the media but it's only because I am consistently maddened by the quality of the coverage of Football in comparison to Gaelic. (And because I had a particularly fierce hangover) Examples of that disparity were everywhere in this week's edition. Whilst Padraic Burns was stunning us with the almost sublime fact that the match between Ballyglass and S+F was "mainly played between the two penalty areas...", Edwin Mc Greal was writing what seemed like a modern Greek tragedy; reporting the nature of loss, the nobility of failed endevour, quoting philosophical remarks from legendary American coach Vince Lombardy and generally putting a bit of effort in. His subject? The All-Ireland College's B semi-final. Whilst not averse the the odd cliche; ('pillar to post', 'knife through the hearts' 'playing second fiddle' etc, Mc Greal can write well. But the effort is just not put into the "soccerball" coverage. And that's a bit insulting. If we are only going to be given a few pages in the paper, at least make them worth reading.

The Counter Attack column could be a step in the right direction. Generally speaking, the reports in the paper did exactly what they said on the tin. They reported. In the 5th minute X came close. In the 19th minute Y made a fine save. In the 56th minute Z scratched his arse. Ad nauseum. What they don't do is analysis. Every Mayo G.A.A match played seems to merit assessment from everyone in possession of a biro in the county. So come on then lads, live up to your promises and deliver and bit of analysis and insight. We would really appreciate it.

Fahy you have to take the helicopter view of all this. Each paper has x number of reporters and nowhere near enough to go to every game so maybe they approach it as follows:
- Go to the GAA game and catch 15 minutes of the soccer match on way home leading to plenty of second hand info and cliche in the match report
- Send a junior reporter or someone with an interest in sport and who can write a bit (i.e. not a Journo) to the match to pick up the facts and relay them in a report (which the editor will cut down to make it fit).

Either way you look at it - you would need 5 journos each sunday to go to the Premier Division games at 12 and the Super League games at two. Thats not possible for any local paper as GAA sells the sports pages. Jesus the county is mad about GAA man, where do you live? That does not make up for not having enough analysis about soccer games that matter and I agree they have to try better in this respect but it will never be economically viable for a local paper to send journos with the brain and pen power to provide the analysis you expect each week - it'll never happen.

I think the happy medium is somewhere between where we are now and what you are proposing. But it is still flawed in the sense that the lower divisons will never get coverage - and thats not going to please them. If people were willing to send match reports to the papers for matches they were at I'm sure the paper would oblige by either (a) putting them in, or (b) summarizing them and putting them in.

[pixiehead]

I see in this weeks edition they promise that next week they will have a full analysis on the premier Division in next weeks sports. Which leads one to suggest that someone is diligently reading these very pages!!! Maybe the week after we will be treated to Division One and Two!! Sure id bet me left arm Mr. Kelly amd Mr Gillespie are partial to the odd glimpse of these Forums and who knows they may have even taken our comments on board. Maybe in time th ey might cover the strange world of Foot.ie and the colourful characters who live in its shadowed underground.......... The creative Fahyforever, the menacing Mandarinfrogs, the informative thunderblaster ect ect and all the masked creatures who live in this secret undergrowth of diction and misspelling. GO On Give us a Mention !!!!!!!!!!

[robben 11]

any luck with those tickets last nite pixie....!!???

[Mad Moose]

I see in this weeks edition they promise that next week they will have a full analysis on the premier Division in next weeks sports. Which leads one to suggest that someone is diligently reading these very pages!!!

Oh of course they are. Sure its an easy way to get much of the information to fill the rags. So anyhow for the benefit of the C.T I'd like to declare my unwavering allegiance to the W.P and you wont ever find the Connaught in our house.

On a serious note there were a few of us here who got a mention in the W.P last year for our musings on all things Mayo football. I would have absolutely no doubt that they do indeed read this forum.

I hope they have also gotten the message. Its rare enough now that I bother sifting through the sports pages because I know what to expect of them.

[rasper]

With the demise of the Mayo/Fai website, any chance of clubs putting up a report of their games on here. For example on www.swinfordfc.ie I came across a good report (on a template) of their B fixture on their site, nothing for the A team fixture though. Maybe the Mayo league should hold a workshop for all club P.R.O's ( and it's own for that matter!!). I'm sure Tom Kelly, Padraig Burns, and the other scribes could also give their input on what info they see as important when giving reports.From Junior down to the under 8's in every club they all like to read about themselves,their achievements and performances on and off the field. A good PRO is the best recruitment officer for any club.The PR for the Mayo league and also the Youths and schoolboys League is a shambles at the moment and the sooner the league acts on this the better. The Internet is a powerful tool as everyone here knows, as is the local papers.The Mayo league and the Mayo Youths Leagues admin do not seem to realise this though.

only the results/fixtures of the mayo junior league will be posted on the website www.mayowomenssoccer.com under junior men

[mamoore]

Well congrats mamoore. I think you should be nominated for The Mayo Person of the Year award for your contribution to soccer in the Castlebar region. With Glenisland in trouble why dont you sign for them and see how you can help them get back on their feet like you did for the town. I'm sorry but I cant get over your arrogance to think of yourself as some sort of Messiah. As for your winning attitude that you have I doubt you have won too much with the clubs that you have,(which is it, saved? or played for?)

i don't think i'm a meesiah -if your read the post properly -i said the club changed around when myself and others signed for them.
also your right about not havin won much -i've only played soccer for 3yrs -and have a premier league medel to my name.I always played gaa b4 that - which i have won loads.this is a great site -lets keep it that why and talk about soccer not individuals.

[Cloggs]

Fahy you have to take the helicopter view of all this. Each paper has x number of reporters and nowhere near enough to go to every game so maybe they approach it as follows:
- Go to the GAA game and catch 15 minutes of the soccer match on way home leading to plenty of second hand info and cliche in the match report
- Send a junior reporter or someone with an interest in sport and who can write a bit (i.e. not a Journo) to the match to pick up the facts and relay them in a report (which the editor will cut down to make it fit).

Either way you look at it - you would need 5 journos each sunday to go to the Premier Division games at 12 and the Super League games at two. Thats not possible for any local paper as GAA sells the sports pages. Jesus the county is mad about GAA man, where do you live? That does not make up for not having enough analysis about soccer games that matter and I agree they have to try better in this respect but it will never be economically viable for a local paper to send journos with the brain and pen power to provide the analysis you expect each week - it'll never happen.

I think the happy medium is somewhere between where we are now and what you are proposing. But it is still flawed in the sense that the lower divisons will never get coverage - and thats not going to please them. If people were willing to send match reports to the papers for matches they were at I'm sure the paper would oblige by either (a) putting them in, or (b) summarizing them and putting them in.

in all fairness to both the western and the mayo news they both always print up a report in club clippings if you email it in to either of them or if you have any news of your respective club they generally also print those also.fraid i cannot say the same for the connacht however i think they've only ever printed one thing that i sent in although i'm still persisting with it!

[short_frank]

We have talked before on this forum about the coverage (or to be exact the lack of coverage) of Mayo soccer in the newspapers in this county and nothing changed in the papers in the meantime.
The most depressing part for us involved with lower league teams is that the MN, WP and CT pay lip service to soccer by previewing the super league and giving match reports with maybe an odd report from the Premier. There are more clubs ( I am calling B teams as a different club as we all like to see our efforts recognised for the team we play for) in total in the 1st and 2 second divisions yet we don't even get a mention. Even if they deigned to visit one lower league team each week and gave a proper preview of the prospects for these divisions in the season ahead it would be a major leap forward. The only mention I saw of the season ahead in the lower divisions was a couple of lines tagged on to the end of the Super league preview in one paper.
If the journo's are reading these forums then please remember there is life outside the super league. Maybe the Mayo News could drop the articles they carry every week with some local talking about English league teams (who reads them) and shoehorn the 1st and 2nd divisions pieces in there.

[pixiehead]

Agree totally frank. Its a discrace how they cover and promote English soccer. and the western are nt much better stcking in a colum with Michael McMullen. If it was Eircom league it would be great but they cant even promote our own league so i guess ill be waiting. Your suggestion is good. Another idea would be if a paper just covered a club every week regardless of who they where and gave a profile of the players , peolple behind the scenes rating their Grounds and stuff like that. A sort of football pub spy!!! One a week. But for the time being i guess we will have to stick with some monday to friday office worker spouting on about a foreign league telling us why he loves Leeds United or someone so Much oooooooooo YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWNNNN

[gnasher]

Lads, be serious about what you're saying. Do you think for a second that the papaers are interested in giving up their valuable space every week to reports from the lower divisions (where the ball stays in the air for most of the game) instead of what they feel has a better interest / following?
Fair enough if you think the premiership columns and the writers are boring - don't read them. I feel that at least it's soccer coverage anyway - might not be local but at least it's the right sport. I'd hazard a guess that more people travel over the water every week to Prem/Champ games from Mayo than collectively attend all Mayo League fixtures - probably true. Look at the turnout for the recent OT match - rubbish. People would prefer to sit at home and watch their English / Spanish football rather than watch the Mayo League.

And by the way - it's not down to the established newspapers to promote soccer and the Mayo League - that is the responsibility of the Mayo AFL committee.

[Ranger]

[QUOTE
And by the way - it's not down to the established newspapers to promote soccer and the Mayo League - that is the responsibility of the Mayo AFL committee.[/QUOTE]

So who is the P.R.O for the Mayo FA?

[pixiehead]

Castlebar Celtic € 150,000.
Knock/Kiltimagh € 70,000
Manulla FC €100,000
Partry Ath € 65,000
Ballyheane FC € 60.000
Ballina Town € 30.000
Ballyglass FC € 20,000
Charlestown FC € 7,000
Westport Utd €10,000
Claremorris FC € 60,000
Conn Rangers € 30,000
Snugboro FC € 30,000
Swinford FC € 50,000

I see John Cartys Local areas worked out well :mad (K+K, Manulla, Claremorris) O ya and not to mention a vote seek from the County town?? You wouldnt Buy a Litre of Milk with what some of the other clubs got!!

[irishyop]

Castlebar Celtic € 150,000.
Knock/Kiltimagh € 70,000
Manulla FC €100,000
Partry Ath € 65,000
Ballyheane FC € 60.000
Ballina Town € 30.000
Ballyglass FC € 20,000
Charlestown FC € 7,000
Westport Utd €10,000
Claremorris FC € 60,000
Conn Rangers € 30,000
Snugboro FC € 30,000
Swinford FC € 50,000

I see John Cartys Local areas worked out well :mad (K+K, Manulla, Claremorris) O ya and not to mention a vote seek from the County town?? You wouldnt Buy a Litre of Milk with what some of the other clubs got!!

Fkn hell, 10k for Westport!!! That is v poor! 60k for Claremorris, they are very well kitted out with a very nice dressing room + pitch & new astro turf pitch up and running. I am suprised they even "need" that amount.

[Fireball]

Email received this morning. It might affect some of ye here.

Change of Fixtures

Due to a shortage of referees on Sunday next 15th April 2007, the Premier Division fixtures are changed to Saturday 14th April with a 6.30pm kick-off.

The following are matches involved:

Ballinrobe Town v Castlebar Celtic 'B'
Bangor Hibs v Manulla 'B'
Fahy Rovers v Achill Rovers
Straide & Foxford Utd. v Swinford
Westport Utd. 'B' v Ballyglass

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Yours in Sport,

John Durkan,
Secretary.